Conventional large engine electronic control modules (ECMs) are scaled up versions of medium engine controls, and have functional and environmental limitations when used with modern large engine fuel systems/ignition systems. Some conventional solutions have flexibility in terms of the waveforms they can generate, but are thermally inefficient, and do not allow multiple simultaneous waveforms on different injectors/ignition coils. Other conventional solutions provide more efficient drivers, but lack flexibility with respect to the waveforms that can be generated, and are incompatible with ignition waveforms, and potentially new injector waveforms. For example, one such waveform transitioning method and apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,077 that provides transitioning from one waveform to another at a time.
Some conventional solutions include Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) to control output waveforms and the fuel system of a vehicle. However, such ASIC based solutions do not have flexibility of commanding or controlling waveforms for gas engines, and lack customized diagnostics or monitoring of various engine parameters. Further, such ASIC based solutions are not backward compatible in terms of accurately replicating various waveforms associated with previous generations of ECMs.
Furthermore, the drivers implemented in conventional ECMs utilize blocking diodes that reduce thermal efficiency and have limited window of engine crank angles in which they can operate or fire.